Do you have all of the organizational equipment that you need to keep your storage areas organized and safe? If not, now is the time to begin looking into the industrial shelving that is manufactured for businesses just like yours. It was not until I lost a lot of product due to a stack of pallets falling over that I knew just how important it was to have shelving to stack the pallets of goods on. Sure, I was able to file a claim and retrieve some of the lost money, but it had a severely negative impact on my business. Learn more about how I reorganized my warehouse and improved the situation for my business, my employees and my customers.

organizing a warehouse for safety

Warehouse Installation: Your Racking System

11 July 2018

Sam Gomez

When you're installing, arranging, and stocking your first warehouse, it seems easy. However, to maximize space without risking injuries or damage to your company's products, you'll need to be mindful about materials and layout. The initial consideration will be the steel racking system you'll install and use as shelving. What racking details shouldn't be overlooked?

Permits

Permits don't seem at all related to racking systems, but your city might require them. That's because products kept in warehouses can sometimes be fire hazards; the city will want to be aware of how many pallets you plan to store and other data. Don't forget these, unless you won't mind paying any of the violation fees you're likely to receive later.

Load Limits

Your system must accommodate your products, of course. Before installing racking, you need to estimate how many products that will be. Approximately how many pallets will there be? More importantly, how much will pallets weigh? It's not just a matter of making room for all your products; racks will only be able to safely hold so many no matter how many items you squeeze onto them. Select racking that can take the weight of your products and pallets.

Anti-Collapse Mesh

If you plan to place racks along the walls and in the middle of different spaces, those in the middle must be monitored. As forklifts and other machines push boxes onto those rack shelves, some boxes can fall out the other side. To ensure inventory stays put, anti-collapse mesh will need to be attached to the rear of those middle racks. That will prevent inventory from falling, being damaged, or hitting someone.

Distance Between Racks

Your primary concern is making room for inventory, but remember room for employee foot traffic and sufficient space for any machines out on the floor. Tight spaces can be dangerous for people, projects, and machines. If a forklift gets stuck between two racks, that will delay everyone's day.

Rack Protectors

They're steel, but racks can only take so much ramming by machines dropping off boxes and pallets. Plastic or rubber protectors at the front of each rack will be a perfect buffer preventing excessive ramming and banging.

Attentiveness to racking systems before other tasks will create a strong skeleton for the space. Warehouse installation professionals will learn more about your business and the products in the warehouse; they will use this information for personalized suggestions.